As a nation we have long held fast to the belief that education unlocks the pathway to opportunity However Americarsquos classrooms lack teachers

with diverse backgrounds prepared to teach our diverse students When 40 percent of public school students are African American or Hispanic but less than 15 percent of our nationrsquos teachers are Black or Latino too many students miss opportunities to witness individuals who look like them understand or share their experiences and conspire for their success Children from diverse backgrounds benefit from educators who both affirm them during their identity development and who understand and share linguistic and cultural practices Cultural familiarity helps educators to support student learning and growth and to disrupt bias discrimination and prejudice It is equally important for white students and students of all races to develop a deep understanding of the world around them by learning with and from diverse educators

According to the US Department of Education African American students are 29 times as likely to be labeled mentally retarded 19 times as likely to be labeled emotionally disturbed and 13 times as likely to be labeled as having a learning disability as their white peers1 Furthermore only 2 percent of K-12 public school teachers are African American males2 African Americans as a whole accounted for

White H

ouse

In

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Educational Excellence for

Afr

ican Americans

101 percent of school principals in 20123 The same year there were 7902490 African American students compared to only 230194 African American teachers

The Need for African American EducatorsWe must increase the number of minority and male educators serving as models mentors and sources of support for our students Black educators are on the cusp of an opportunity not only to teach but also to create learning environments that are critical challenging safe supportive civically engaging and culturally competent Here is why Black educators must take these opportunities

1 Educators must be culturally sensitive to their students For example African American male teachers can help address the fact that in the majority of a childrsquos education he or she may never see a Black male teacher4

2 According to Ivory A Toldson PhD ldquoBlack students [are] less likely to perceive empathy and respect from their teachers and more likely to view the school as a punitive learning environment than

The White house initiative on educational excellence for african americans

The Need for African American Educators in the Workforce

The Call for African American Educators

1 httpbitly1IHRFnt2httpwwwtherootcomarticlesculture201210 how_race_matters_in_the_classroom2html3httpncesedgovpubs20132013313pdf4Read the full report httpwwwedweekorgewarticles2014022622nicolas_eph33html

ldquoWhen I ask teachers why they teach they almost always say that it is because they want to make a difference in the lives of childrenrdquo ~ Secretary of Education Arne Duncan

Source National Center for Education Statistics Institute of Education Sciences US De-partment of Education Digest of Education Statistics 2013 (2015) tables 20360 and 20910 Available at httpncesedgovpubs20152015011pdf

white studentsrdquo Toldson asserts that these results suggest that ldquoteachers may be operating under an implicit association bias whereby hellip they may view black children as security risksrdquo5 A diverse and culturally competent work force can improve this challenging classroom construction

The Historical Significance of African American EducatorsSixty years ago in Brown vs The Board of Education of Topeka Kansas the Supreme Court declared that ldquoseparate but equalrdquo facilities were unconstitutional in the American educational system The legacy of Brown is that effective teachers and school leaders who interact with students of color particularly in African American community schools are more than simply purveyors of teaching and learning They are expected to engage and support all students According to Linda C Tillman in the African American Principals and the Legacy of Brown report Brown was significant to African American educators for two reasons

3 The work of Black principals in the post-Brown era has contributed to the theory and practice of educational leadership

4 One of the goals of the decision was to remedy educational inequities and allow Black principals to continue their work under improved social and educational conditions6

Leaders in the field of education who understand the history behind educational access and equity give students from historically undersupported communities the opportunity to be educated in culturally and socially competent spaces

How You Can Help You can teach Teaching is an important opportunity to serve the community and our country It is a way to help students acquire the skills and experiences they need to be successful in school and in life To support educators the federal government provides the following resources

TEACH Grant Grants of up to $4000 a year to students who plan to complete course work needed to begin a career in teaching Learn more at httpsstudentaidedgovtypesgrants- scholarshipsteachwhat-is-a-teach-grant

Teachorg Scholarships Scholarship and grants for teachers to fund their education and teaching preparation needs within the field of education There are also scholarships available for people who choose to pursue careers in school administration Learn more at httpswwwteachorgteaching- scholarships

Teachorg Financial Aid Financial aid and other scholarships for rising and current teachers Learn more at httpswwwteachorgteaching-federal-aid- programs

Federal Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program Under this program those who teach full-time for five complete and consecutive academic years may in certain circumstances be eligible for forgiveness of up to a combined total of $17500 on their federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized loans and their Subsidized and Unsubsidized Federal Stafford loans Learn more at httpsstudentaidedgovsarepay-loansforgiveness-cancellationteacher

Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program This program forgives the balance on Direct Loans after the borrower has made 120 qualifying payments under a repayment plan while working full-time for a qualifying employer Learn more at httpsstudentaidedgovsarepay-loansforgiveness-cancellationpublic-service

Learn MoreLearn more about the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans at httpwwwedgovAfAmEducation

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Add us on Facebook httpswwwfacebookcomOfficialAfAmEd

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5Read information on the National Crime Victimization Survey School Crime Supplement httpwwwtherootcomarticlesculture201210how_race_matters_in_the_classroom2html6Read the full report httpwwwsagepubcomupm-data23168_Chapter_11pdf

The White house initiative on educational excellence for african americans 400 maryland ave sWWashington dc 20202WWWedgovafameducation

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